Repent
by Kiyoshi Sadame
Summary: La Esperanca oneshot. Robert meets with a counselor and he isn't thrilled about it. But will it help him make up with Georges?


Repent

'He took her from me. He took her from my vision to only leave behind the memories of what little time we shared. He took her away in the most brutal way. God killed her!'

"…ert?" the blond teen had been hanging out of the third floor window for several minutes, trying his best took not lean out to far as he called out to the brunette resting in the tree outside. The brunette opened his eyes warily and gazed inattentively at the blonde. "Are you okay Robert?" the blonde asked. The brunette smirked.

"Heh, worried?" he asked mockingly.

"N-no! It's just. . .the next class is starting soon," the blond relaxed at finally having awoken the young teen and stood flat on his feet, a rosy hue showing he was flustered.

"Ditching," Robert stated bluntly. "You should know that by now, Georges." He added. Georges frowned at him in detest. Robert's eyes widen curiously when the door in the classroom flung open and a third teen entered, exclaiming and pointing his finger assertively at the two,

"Georges, Robert, why are you two flirting again?!" Robert's eye twitched at the reasoning of the silver-haired teen that had flung himself into the conversation. Georges was about to correct the third teen but was cut off when Robert dashed in through window and grabbed a book out from under the boy's arm.

"Are you spreading rumors again, Sir Freddy?" Robert asked, holding the book above teen's head mockingly and laughing amusingly at his attempt to jump up and grab the book.

"I don't spread rumors! And stop insulting my shortness and don't use that half casual greeting!" Freddy exclaimed, still hopping up and down in hopes of retrieving his book.

"Freddy. . .Robert. . .can't you two get along without fighting?" Georges knew his words weren't going to get through to the bickering duo but he still felt compelled to try. The two ignored him as he thought they would.

A few moments of bickering and consoling passed before Georges and Freddy jumped at hearing the song of the bell echo from the bell tower outside. Both of them scrambled to collect their things and scattered out of the room to hopefully reach their music class without the teacher noticing they were late. Robert stayed behind in the empty classroom, ready to return to his perch on the tree branch outside. However, he was not allowed to do so as a woman from the chapel relayed a message to him to report to the principle.

'What does the old man want with me now?' he wondered crossly as he made his way down the hall. Once he arrived, the old man sitting in his room gave a faint smile.

"There's someone here to speak with you," the man explained as he stood up and approached a door to the side of his office.

"Father, you're eating at my precious class time." Robert mocked. His father turned to stare un-amused.

"You were planned to ditch anyway. Come on," the man opened the door into another room a younger gentleman was waiting, looking out the window.

"Ah, Robert! It's been a while. Hope you don't mind," the ebon-haired man said in greeting, a pleasant smile gracing his soft features.

"Alex. . ." Robert gritted his teeth in detest, glaring at the man hostilely. The door was closed behind him and the two were left alone in the room that was growing quite unpleasant.

"Have a seat and I'll get straight to the point." Alex offered. Robert hesitated out of irritancy but complied non-the-less, hoping to be done and over with the meeting as soon as possible.

"As you know part of the agreement for you leaving the sanatorium was that you would attend an occasional meeting with one of the counselors," Robert's eye twitched at hearing the significance of Alex's visit. He sat quietly and waited for him to continue. "I was awarded your case after some family similarities arose in which-"

"Family similarities?" Robert cut off and questioned touchily. Alex nodded his head.

"Yes. Like you, I was subjected to most of my 'siblings' being adopted or half-blood. I was told you had quite the temper when it came to talking to adults and it was thought that I would suffice because I most closely relate to your case." Robert shifted uncomfortably. "I've heard you've become quite a headstrong young man. However, I'm not going to ask any questions. I'd like to hear what you have to say." Alex waved his hand in offer for Robert to speak.

"What is there to say? I'm happy being here. I can sleep at night and no longer have cold-sweats. It's been two years, I've gotten over it. Heck-"

"Gotten through it maybe?" Alex cut in. Robert looked at Alex, astonished. "Sorry. You can continue."

"Right. . .look. I'm fine now. I don't need to see or talk to you or anyone else." Robert replied impulsively. Alex chucked behind a smirk.

"I thought you would say something like that. I have records from the school. Your grades are decent for graduation and it seems like your strength of mind has improved. Could that be because of the boy named Georges?" Alex asked. Robert responded instantly,

"I hate him," Alex was surprised at this. From what he had been told, Robert and Georges were the best of friends and Georges had even taken care of Robert when he was down. This response was so blunt and straight-forward, it made Alex curious of Robert's thoughts on him.

"Why?" He asked. Robert chucked menacingly, as if he had malicious thoughts of tearing the boy down right then.

"He's to damn innocent. I can't stand how truthful he his. . .how devout he is. He holds this power to him that makes him pure, untainted but hollow. He's filled with sorrow, but yet he's fearless. Hell, he drifts through the halls without a care in the world! I can't stand him!" Robert stated. Alex thought to himself for a few moments before stating his opinion, interested in how this relationship really worked.

"It sounds to me more like. . .you love him." Robert choked on himself and baffled, started at Alex.

"Say what?! No! I could care less about him! He awoke all the terrors and agony I had left at that sanatorium! He's done nothing but open up the scars I had buried and now I stand to be here!" Robert stood up from his chair and slammed a fist into the desk sending several papers to the floor. Alex stood back and watched, allowing the wrath Robert was feeling to just be and concerned himself more on the issue that he had spoken of.

"Calm down and sit down. I didn't mean to say something that may have upset you." Alex recommended. Robert sighed and gritted his teeth but did as he was told and took his seat back.

"You believe he resembles her, don't you?" his voice was restrained when he asked but Alex knew that Robert hadn't had a chance to let it out since the incident in the chapel when he destroyed the statue that sat in the front of the chapel.

"Yes." Robert's hands were beginning to tremble and he clenched his fists, digging them into his knees before continuing. "His eyes, hair, skin, pride, everything is exactly like her. Nothing but beautiful. It's as if we parted only so God could punish me later. At first. . .I thought it was just a dream. One screwed up nightmare that I couldn't escape." As Robert spoke, a tear rolled down his cheek. It was something he wasn't yet re-accustomed too, crying. Feeling sadness and hate and emotions that welled up inside, they weren't something he had until he had met Georges. He didn't even truly understand why he hated Georges or even why he wanted to involve himself with him yet. It had only been a year yet so much happened to re-open old wounds and tear Robert's heart apart once again.

Alex allowed Robert to weep, he didn't want to risk making it harder on the young teen than it already was. He simply waited patiently and thought about what he could say to help Robert feel more comfortable with his loss. From the beginning however, Alex knew that Robert was not completely through his hardship. He knew the teen needed this and needed someone to motivate him to get on his feet and stay there.

"What if I told you God wasn't punishing you but. . .giving you a second chance?" he tried.

"Huh?" Robert looked at the young man as if he was saying something foreign, or in the least talking a different language.

"Just what if?"

"What if?" Robert questioned himself and Alex nodded.

"Think about it, if God was punishing you, he would have made Georges another girl who looked like her, agree? Look at it from a different point, God is allowing you a chance to repent." Alex explained. Robert was still in a haze, still wondering if the man was talking foreign or something but he thought about. At first, he thought it was a lame idea but tossing it around a little made it a little easier to understand. "Look at this Georges you hate as a Georges you love. Not as in your down casting of him." He added.

"How. . .how do you know something like that?" Robert asked curiously. Alex chuckled.

"It's because I don't believe in God," he answered.

"What?! But you just sa-"

"I never said I believed in God." Robert was dumbstruck and once again confused. However, Alex didn't have an explanation for him.

"How can you say that God is giving me a second chance when even you don't believe in him?" Robert asked challenging. Again, Alex chuckled. "Stop chuckling. . ." the teen demanded with a twitching eye.

"Alright, sorry. Because I don't believe in God or religion for that matter, I can also look at it from a un-bias standpoint. I can treat each religion individually and not as a whole." Alex could see from Robert's dazed expression that he had once again confused the young teen. He withheld his chuckle respectfully this time even though he wanted to laugh at his expression.

"I don't get it. . ." Robert stated.

"Just. . .go with repent. Deal?"

"Alright. Can I leave now though? I got something I gotta do." Alex nodded his head and made no further comments. Robert stood up and without further hesitation, left the room and dashed off down the hall.

He rounded a corner just as the bell echoed through the halls again and he headed towards the music class where he knew Georges would be. He rushed down the next hallway and came to stand in front of the classroom as students filtered out of the classroom. He waited until he saw the blonde head make his way into the crowd.

"Hey Georges!" Robert called out. Georges turned and saw Robert wave at him and made his way over to the taller brunette.

"What is it Robert? Everything alright?" Georges asked. Robert nodded his head.

"Come with me." Robert turned and walked down the hall and Georges followed close behind with protest. Robert's heart was beating, he didn't understand what he was doing nor was he going to know why. He only knew that it was something he had to do.

He led them both out of the school building and headed towards the chapel. Georges became a little concerned at this knowing that Robert and chapels didn't really mix. However, he said nothing and continued to follow. The two reached the chapel, having remained in silence even after entering. Robert made is way up the rows of seats and to the front of the chapel whereas Georges kept a slight bit of cautious distance. Then Robert began to speak.

"I uh. . ." He paused, trying to search for the right words and the right way to express what he wanted to say, "I'm throwing away my dignity. . ." Georges looked at Robert curiously but didn't say anything. He had learned in the past to just allow Robert to talk and that was what he was going to do. "At her deathbed, I swore to myself to never believe in this foolish concept of God. I thought that would never change after her death but then I came here. I met you and I hated you." Robert turned to Georges with a trouble-like gaze in his eyes as he thought out his words.

"But you don't hate me anymore, do you?" Georges smiled at Robert, reassuring the older teen.

"Yeah. I don't hate you anymore. But I didn't bring you here for that. Georges, you're so devout and so pure and that is why I hated you. But now…I'm thinking on it more…and I want to ask you something,"

"Hm? Go ahead, anything." Georges offered.

"Will you show me again, His protection? Remind me of why we're here and what we're to do? Will you promise to stay with me forever?" Georges now understood what was going on. Robert was finally opening up like he should and Georges was more than happy to make that promise.

"Yes. I promise to stay by your side forever." Robert sighed in relief but suddenly found himself being embraced by the younger blonde. "But you have to promise me that you'll be more open and talk more." Georges exchanged. Robert chuckled and nodded his head, hugging back.

"I promise. So long as no one else has to hear."

"Deal."


End file.
